


The Buddy Walk

by Buckybeardreams



Series: The Classifieds [31]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Baby!Tony, Classifications, Cuz we all know Sam is great at resolving conflict, Little!Bucky - Freeform, Little!Tony, Littles Are Known, M/M, Multi, Non-Sexual Age Play, Therapist Sam Wilson, alternate universe - classifications, caregiver!Sam, little!steve
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-21
Updated: 2020-11-21
Packaged: 2021-03-08 23:54:51
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,320
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27225364
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Buckybeardreams/pseuds/Buckybeardreams
Summary: Sam encourages Steve and Bucky to play a trust game.
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes & Steve Rogers, James "Bucky" Barnes & Steve Rogers & Tony Stark & Sam Wilson, James "Bucky" Barnes/Steve Rogers/Tony Stark
Series: The Classifieds [31]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1898527
Comments: 9
Kudos: 69





	The Buddy Walk

Tony squirmed on the couch. God, he did not want to do this. He pulled his knees up to his chest and hugged them. He glanced over at Steve who was tugging at the collar of his shirt like it was strangling him. Bucky was avoiding looking at any of them, staring at a spot on the floor instead. Sam cleared his throat softly, and three sets of eyes snapped up to meet his. His Littles were all Big, but they all looked so small and vulnerable. He took a breath to keep calm, before speaking.

"I know you guys have been going through a lot recently. Bucky approached me and asked if I could help you guys resolve this. It won't be resolved today. I think it will take a lot of talking over an extended period of time to resolve this particular issue. Bucky explained the situation to me, and I would just like to start off by saying I don't begrudge any of you for what happened."

Steve coughed and looked down. He knew that was directed towards him. He hated that Sam knew about this. It wasn't something they'd ever talked to him about. He wasn't mad at Bucky for telling him, but it did make him feel ashamed. He was concerned that his Caregiver would see him differently after this.

"I think we should start by asking Bucky what he needs to feel safe talking about this." Sam finished, nodding encouragingly at Bucky.

Bucky glanced nervously at his partners, before turning his focus back to Sam.

"Um, I don't know. I think I just need to know that we can talk about this without isolating ourselves. I don't want to bring this up again, if we're all just going to stop talking or hide from eachother."

"Okay, that's good. Steve, Tony, can you both agree to support Bucky through this, even when it's hard and you want to run away from it?"

Tony nodded.

"Yeah, I agree. I don't want us to not talk again. I know I have a bad habit of hiding out in my lab, but I don't want to hide away from either of you anymore."

Bucky gave Tony a small smile. Tony leaned into him and rested his head on his shoulder.

"Thanks, Tony." Bucky murmured, pressing a kiss to his head.

Steve was silent next to them, shifting uncomfortably. Sam looked at him expectantly.

"Steve? Can you promise to do this for Bucky?"

"I wanna always be there for you, Buck. You know that. I'm sorry that I wasn't there when you needed me."

Bucky's eyes darted to Steve and away quickly. Steve hadn't been there for him. He came home and he didn't even come visit, and that was hard. They were both in bad places at the time, but that doesn't make it easier for Bucky to process it. He was hurt. He was also worried about what the past meant for them now.

"Thanks, Stevie." He mumbled.

Sam watched the two of them closely. He could tell both of them were feeling distant. Like there was a barrier between them, even though they were seated next to eachother. This wasn't going to be easy, and it wasn't going to be solved today. This was a deep rooted trauma that had been tucked away for years. It would probably take years to fully unpack it. It was more than just the event itself that needed to be talked through.

There was the way Steve and Buvky had chsen to handle it afterwards by brushing it under the rug. The way they chose to deal with it, when it did eventually resurface by running away and being distant. The insecurities and fears that it brought up from them both. The impact this had on their relationship with eachother, as well as with Tony.

On top of all of that, there was the traumas that inevitably had led up to the event. Bucky being abused by his dad and Steve witnessing it. Being traumatized at war. Steve's desire to protect Bucky and failure to do so. Bucky's deep seated belief that he was to blame for everything that had ever happened to him. Bucky feeling like he wasn't Steve's equal when he became his Little. Steve's resentment for having to pretend and push aside his desire and need to be Little.

It was a lot more than they could possibly go over in one day, but it was important to open the pathways for communication and make it possible for them to talk about this. Sam was glad he could be their to monitor the situation. To ensure it was a safe space and that there wasn't any hostility. It was important that all three of them could express how they felt without fear of judgement.

"Good. That's great, guys. Next I want to ask Steve what he needs to feel safe talking about this. Steve?"

Steve looked scared. He hunched in on himself and stared down at his hands, fidgeting in his lap.

"I don't need nothin', Sammy."

Ah, shit. Sam stood up from the armchair and crouched down in front of his Little.

"Hey, Stevie. Can you look at me, kiddo?"

Steve whimpered, but nodded and met Sam's eyes.

"Hey, it's okay. You're doing so good. You told me you wanted to Big for this, do you remember that?"

Steve nodded, glancing nervously at Steve and Bucky, but Sam pulled his attention back to him.

"Look at me, Stevie. Do you want to do this right now? It's okay, if you're not ready."

As much as Sam did feel this was important, he recognized how difficult this would be. He also understood how he would need to be sensitive to the fact that they were likely to drop from this. It wasn't a shock to Sam that Steve was the first one to drop. He had hoped that it wouldn't happen so quickly. It was a sign that Steve wasn't feeling safe. Sam didn't want that.

"I wanna do i', Sammy. I do. 'M jus' sca'ed."

"Oh, baby. I know. It is really scary. I love you so much, Stevie. I'm gonna support you no matter what you guys reveal to me, okay? I promise."

Steve whimpered.

Sam refrained from glancing at his other two Littles. He kept his focus on Steve.

"Do you wanna try to get Big? Or do you wanna stay Little?"

Steve squirmed.

"If I'm li'l, can I go pway?" He said in a small voice, barely more than a whisper.

Sam knew at that moment that Steve couldn't do this right now.

"Of course, buddy."

"I wanna go pway then, Sammy."

Sam pulled Steve into his arms and cradled his head. The Little ducked his head into the crook of his neck and sniffled. Sam stroked his hair and took the opportunity to glance at Tony and Bucky. Tony looked Big enough, maybe somewhere in between his headspaces, but he couldn't be positive. Bucky sure looked small though. He had positioned himself so he was more or less in Tony's lap.

Tony sent Sam a look, asking what to do.

"Okay, kiddos. It's time to play! I have a great game we can play. Wanna know what it is?"

Sam kept his voice upbeat and positive. He wanted them to feel like it was okay that they had dropped, because it was. He had expected it to happen at some point during this.

"Wha'?" Bucky asked, tilting his head curiously at Sam.

Sam smiled at how adorable his Little was.

"It's called the buddy walk!"

"Da buddy walk?" Steve questioned, lifting his head off of Sam's shoulder.

"Yup! We get to start by building an obstacle course. Then, one person gets to walk through it, but they're blind folded!" 

"Woah!" Bucky exclaimed.

"Bwindfo'ded?" Steve said, hesitantly.

Steve's eyes were wide with fear, whereas Bucky just looked intrigued.

"Yup! Blindfolded." Sam confirmed.

"Dey can' see not'in'?" Bucky asked.

"Nope! Not a thing! Cool, huh?"

Bucky nodded, and jumped up. Steve looked more uncertain about this activity. He glanced nervously around the room.

"I wanna go fiwst!" Bucky called out.

Steve's eyes were wide and he shook his head.

"No, Buck! You can'."

Bucky scowled at him.

"Why don't you want Bucky to go first, Steve?" Sam asked, softly.

"I's dangewous! Yo gonna ge' 'uwt."

Sam smiled softly at him. He had a feeling that would be Steve's reaction.

"Well, Stevie. The good thing is that you get to keep Bucky safe."

Steve blinked at him.

"I do?"

"Yes, you do. You're going to be Bucky's buddy."

"Bucky's buddy?" The Little echoed.

"That's right. You're going to guide him safely through the maze, by telling him what he needs to do to get to the otherside."

"I get ta do dat?"

"You sure do, buddy."

Steve nodded firmly and squirmed until Sam set him down.

"'M gonna keep ya safe, Bucky." Steve told the younger boy.

"Otay! Let's do dis ting!" Bucky cheered, fist punching the air.

Sam chuckled and Tony stifled his laughter behind his hand.

Tony and Sam helped them create an easy obstacle course, with chairs and couch cushions. 

"Okay, Bucky. You're up." Sam said, putting a sleep mask that Sam's ma got him, but he never actually used, over his eyes.

Steve gave him instructions, and Sam had to hold Steve's hand to keep the boy from entering the obstacle course himself.

"He's okay." Sam reassured the anxious Little at his side.

"What now?" Bucky called, turning in the direction that he knew Steve was.

"No, tu'n back awound and den take one step to yo' weft."

Bucky turned around and stepped to his right.

"Oda weft, Buck." Steve said, laughing.

"Don' waugh at me." Bucky called out, his cheeks red.

Tony pulled Bucky in for a hug, removing the sleep mask, when he reached the end. Sam smiled at Steve, who was smiling at Bucky. Both toddlers looked awfully proud of themselves.

"I did it!" Bucky cheered.

"You sure did." Tony agreed, smirking in amusement.

"Good job, buddy. You did good, too, Stevie. Did you see how much Bucky trusted you to guide him safely through?"

Bucky nodded in agreement.

"I a'ways twust Stevie. He's my big bwudda."

Steve looked at Bucky, like he'd said something truly profound, and worked his way through the course, pulling Bucky in for a hug.

"I wuv ya, Bucky. Yo da best witt'e bwudda eva."

Tony gave a mock offended look.

"What about me?" He teased.

Steve blinked at him.

"What about you?" Steve asked.

Sam chuckled, when Tony scoffed.

"I think Tony wants to know that you guys think he's a good little brother, when he's Little."

Bucky gave Sam a strange look.

"Tony's a baby bwudda." He said, like it was the most obvious thing ever.

Steve nodded in agreement.

* * *

The boys went off to play with duplos, creating a whole fleet of airplanes, after Bucky helped guide Steve through the obstacle course. Tony pulled Sam aside.

"I need to head back to Wakanda." He told his Caregiver, somewhat anxiously.

Sam nodded, and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Do what you have to do, Tony. Just come home as soon as you can."

Tony looked relieved by his answer. He'd been mildly concerned that he'd get yelled at. Not that Sam ever yelled at him. It was just a lingering fear, he supposed.

"I will return, and when I do, we can all talk again."

Sam searched Tony's eyes.

"I'll try to see if I can get them to talk while you're away. I do want to ask how you're holding up with all of this. Are you okay?" 

Tony shifted on his feet. Sam's tone was gentle, but serious and Tony felt much smaller. He couldn't drop though. He took a deep breath.

"I'm fine. Really. Don't worry about it, Sammy, I mean, Sam." Tony corrected, cringing at the slip up.

Sam raised a brow, clearly not believing him.

"Tony, I'm not comfortable with you going on this trip, if you're slipping. You have to tell me, if you're dropping." Sam said, firmly.

Tony looked down at his feet. He nodded.

"I'm fine." He mumbled.

Sam sighed, pulling him in for a hug. His head resting on Tony's head.

"No, you're not."

Tony whimpered and pressed his head into the crook of Sam's neck. He wasn't. He was tired and stressed out. He desperately just wanted everything to go back to normal.

"Sammy." He sobbed.

"Shh, it's okay, baby." Sam murmured, rubbing his back.

Tony shook his head, because it wasn't okay. Nothing was okay.

"I promise you're safe, Tony. I'm sorry everything's hard right now. Just let go. I'll take care of you."

* * *

Steve and Bucky looked up from where they were seated, leaning over a duplo board.

"Stevie, look! It's baby Tony!" Bucky yelled.

Sam had Tony in his arms. Tony flinched at the loud volume and covered his ears.

"Not so loud, bud." Sam said, but he smiled at the grinning boy.

He was just glad to have his boys together. Steve and Bucky continued playing, while Sam changed Tony into Little clothes. Tony clung to his Caregiver, refusing to leave his arms, so Sam sat down on the bed and kept the baby in his lap. This moment right here was perfect, as far as Sam was concerned. Holding his baby close, while watching his older boys play, was a relief after all the chaos as of late.

The thing that made this moment perfect, though, was that he knew all three of his Littles were safe. For Sam, that meant everything. He wouldn't trade these three boys for the world. Being a parent wasn't always easy, but Sam couldn't help but think that it was so worth it, just to have his kids near.


End file.
